Obsidiman
The Obsidimen are a Golem-like, playable race in the tabletop RPG Earthdawn, which have also more recently begun to appear in the Shadowrun universe. Tall, stocky, strong and durable, they are powerhouses. Due to their rocky nature and long lives, obsidimen are rather slow moving and deliberate in both speech and action, and can have difficulty understanding the smaller races' need for haste. However, if aroused by a threat to self, friend, or community, obsidimen are fearsome to behold. Description Obsidimen are tall, reaching an average height of 7 feet, 3 inches. Seen from a distance they seem squat, because their massive average weight of 900 pounds offsets their height. Their craggy skin and bodily tissue incorporate the properties of stone, and their most common coloration is black or gray. Their blood is blue-gray. The skin of a few obsidimen, usually those of high-ranking families, show veins of semiprecious stone such as tourmaline. Obsidimen are mostly hairless and have internal ears completely covered by a thin layer of skin. Obsidimen mature physically by the end of their first century of life. Natural life span has yet to be determined, because as they age, obsidimen spend more time attached to their Liferock, the largest source of stone within four hours' walk of their birthplace. They may remain attached to the Liferock for decades, showing no signs of being aware of their surroundings, then emerge again in a time of crisis. In one indication of obsidimen life-span, dwarf records show that individual obsidimen have traveled and lived away from their Liferock for at least 500 years after reaching maturity. Obsidimen feel loyalty to their Liferock and all others formed from it. These loyalties loosely resemble human or ork loyalties to a tribe. Obsidimen do not form villages or cities, though they do erect ceremonial structures on or near their Liferock. Obsidimen prefer to live outdoors, exposed to the sky. Obsidimen can live underground for short periods, but those who spend too many months in a dwarf city without traveling outside to the open sky fall into a hibernation-like state. Once carried outdoors again, the Obsidiman will awaken in two to five days. Every obsidmen in all the world can tell you (if he chooses) the Name and the place of his Liferock and the Names of all obsidimen who have ever sprung from it. Obsidimen can no more disregard their Liferock than a dwarf might disregard his parents, or an elf his ancestral lineage. The Liferock brings them into hte world, shapes what they are, and allows their race to endure. Like the other Name-givers, obsidimen are reluctant to speak too freely of a thing as close to their hearts as is their Liferock; for this reason, many of the other races do not know what a Liferock is. Another curiosity of obsidimen is their lack of gender. Most obsidimen dress and act like males of other races; however, there are some who have chosen to adopt female identity. In general, obsidimen find the other races' preoccupation with gender amusing nonsense. Racial abilities The racial abilities of an Obsidiman are as follows: *'Increased wound threshold of +3:' Represents their inherent resistance to damage. *Minimum strength value of 15 *'Natural armor (add 3 to Physical Armor Rating):' Obsidimen have very tough skin that serves as natural armor. The Physical Armor Rating of obsidimen skin is 3. Obsidimen can also wear other types of living, thread, and blood magic armor that adds to the obsidiman's natural Armor Rating. Culture Language The standard language of the Obsidimen is considered to be slightly harder to read and write than that of many other higher races, though there are other dialects that may be even more difficult. It is considered harder than Dwarf (considered the easiest of the higher race languages to read and write), as well as the slightly more complex languages of the Elves, Humans, Ork, and Troll. It is considered on par with the complexities of the languages of both the T'skrang and the Windlings. Disciplines Obsidimen are known to take on the disciplines of Elementalist, Illusionist, Nethermancer, Troubadour, Warrior, Weaponsmith, or Wizard. However, due to their massive size, weight, and low dexterity and agility, no known Obsidimen has ever been found to be an Air Sailor, Archer, Beaastmaster, Cavalryman, Scout, Sky Raider, Swordmaster, or Thief. Category:Earthdawn Universe Category:Shadowrun Universe Category:Creatures Category:Fictional Creatures Category:Sapient Beings Category:Humanoids Category:Unknown Diet Category:Magical Creatures